Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
